Phoenix, or “Silicon Desert” as some within the tech business have branded it, simply landed its first nonstop flight to Asia on an airline which will come as a shock.
Starlux Airways, Taiwan’s “luxurious airline,” plans to attach Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) with Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) in Taipei, Taiwan, starting in early 2026, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego introduced Tuesday.
Whereas particulars are restricted till Starlux secures the required regulatory approval, the airline plans to supply three or 4 weekly flights on board certainly one of its luxurious Airbus A350-900 planes to Phoenix.
“I knew from the second I set foot in Phoenix that STARLUX ought to make the funding to fly right here,” stated Ok.W. Chang, the chairman of Starlux, in a press release. “Not solely is the expansion of enterprise between Taipei and Phoenix staggering, it is an ideal match for our stage of service.”
Starlux will provide Phoenix’s first nonstop flight to Asia, and be part of the handful of overseas intercontinental carriers on the airport. Air France connects town with Paris and British Airways flies to London; American Airways additionally flies between Phoenix and London.
You might be asking: Why Phoenix? Of all of the potential U.S. locations for Starlux, the Arizona capital doesn’t essentially rise to the highest of the listing.
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The airline at present serves Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA), and flights to Southern California’s Ontario Worldwide Airport (ONT) start June 2.
Phoenix, nonetheless, makes lots of sense. First, Starlux faces no competitors on the route. The dearth of competitors might give the airline an edge in carrying each Taiwan- and Asia-bound Phoenicians on its flights over different airways’ connecting choices.
Possibly extra importantly, Phoenix is an rising tech hub for the semiconductor business — therefore the Silicon Desert nickname. Producer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which makes chips for Apple, Nvidia and different firms, is investing greater than $65 billion in new Phoenix manufacturing services.
TSMC executives and workers members absolutely must fly forwards and backwards from Taipei one way or the other.
Along with the probably journey demand, Starlux will profit from as much as $4 million in monetary incentives from the Phoenix airport. The funds can be found for advertising help and price waivers for the primary two years of a brand new route with no present service from Asia.
These are all good causes for the airline to no less than strive Taipei-Phoenix flights.
Vacationers can use Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles or Capital One miles to e book Starlux’s new Phoenix flights when gross sales start.
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